Metal-matrix composites are currently utilized in a wide variety of installations because of their ability to rapidly dissipate heat and provide good shock resistance and corrosion resistance during exposure to seawater. Such metal-matrix composites however suffer from certain undesirable attributes during use involving excessive wear and/or erratic frictional characteristics. Conventional means have been utilized to overcome such undesirable attributes by improving wear resistances, involving the use of weld overlay, and plating or flame spraying of hard coatings. Such conventional wear improvement means for metal-matrix composites have been only marginally successful in increasing service-life, as well as being economically costly. It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide a more economical and more effective method of improving the wear resistance characteristics of metal-matrix composites.